I have been on tramadol for 6 month plus now, my doc is out of town and I do have a refill coming up on the 14th of August. The problem is I am now dependant on them and I am now in early part of the 3rd day of not having them. I am completely out. I was not taking them as percribed but taking more. For me they worked on my manic depression, it felt like I could actualy function. My mood swings were far and few between and I was able to sleep and get up with my daughter no matter what time a night she wakes, which is often, and not wake up groggy in the morning and fucntion All day long as well. My Doctor new that I told him it worked on my depression . It worked on my depression as well as my pain for the slipped disc in my back. I was told by others it takes 3 days to detox off of it, which is what I need to do. Please tell me this is true? I have all the tramadol withdrawl effects. Help! I want so bad to go ahead and get the refill and use it as persribed, but I know better. Thanks for putting up with the lengthy post.

Last edited by stormie1; 07-30-2005 at 07:03 AM.
Reason: font color mess up

I went off tramadol a week ago Friday (8 days now) and I definitely did have some withdrawal symptoms. I was on it for 4 months and was taking 12 pills (37.5 each) per day. I went cold turkey. Here are my thoughts:

1) I have read posts that suggest titrating down (gradually reducing the number of pills) and then quitting. But, these same posts have pointed out that they still had withdrawal. It is your call on whether to try to slowly get off Tramadol or go cold turkey.

2) The withdrawal symptoms lasted about 4 days for me. The worst problem I had were the chills. I shivered so much the first 2 days and actually had a fever. I also suffered with a headache that would never end. My stomach was not too bad, but many people complain of having the runs. Also, I had a little problem sleeping, but again nothing like other posts (see other threads).

Days 3 and 4 were much better. But still some problems.

3) Tramadol definitely is addictive, but luckily not near as bad as most of the addictions discussed on this Board. The doctors who say otherwise are plain wrong (no surprise there ).

Hi Stormie and Frank,
Tramadol is called non narcotic but it is an opiate. I don't know too much about it but I am told there is a high risk of seizures in taking too much and in withdrawing. My frend who is a doc says detox should be a medical one because of the seizures.

I was taking ultram like 5 a day for over a year i quit them when i had the stronger stuff (vicoprohfen) but i take the vic's only one time a day and when i took the ultram i took like 2 doeses a day. now, when i quit the ultram for like a day (keep in mind i didnt think this drug caused withdrawals) i thought i had a real bad flu but the next day it was gone

Don't know what is meant by mental... if you mean the fact that it works on seratonin and norephinephrine, so like an antidepressent that is suddenly gone when you stop taking it, then I agree. If you mean the addiction is emotional, I think there is a strong physical dependence that develops. Ultram doesn't make you feel blissed out like opiates does, it is very understated. Maybe a little dizzy, maybe gives you pep, but all the time working on those opioid receptors. They marketed it at first as non-addictive but have since added that warning.

For withdrawal, the only thing I've heard you can get very depressed. In your case, I would not go off of them without some supervision or talking to a psychiatrist. There may be other withdrawal symptoms, but I don't know. For you, I'm worried about your mood. Please let us know how you are doing with it.

Hi Stormie and Frank,
Tramadol is called non narcotic but it is an opiate. I don't know too much about it but I am told there is a high risk of seizures in taking too much and in withdrawing. My frend who is a doc says detox should be a medical one because of the seizures.

Seizures during tramadol w/d is rare.

Tramadol has been shown to induce seizures at these dosages...

IV: 300mg
PO: 500mg
If you are at high risk of seizures initially, a dose as low as 50mg can trigger one.

I think addiction and withdrawal are very personal things, for some it is no big deal, for others, a living hell. People come to this board for advice, community, and this is the second time today I've seen somebody flamed for telling their story. I really don't see the point of comparing addictions, or calling someone a whiner. I personally have much better things to do.

Anyway, I found this information about Ultram addiction on a site for a treatment center:

<<Chronic use of Ultram can result in tolerance to the medications so that higher doses must be taken to obtain the same initial effects. Long-term use also can lead to physical addiction — the body adapts to the presence of the substance and withdrawal symptoms occur if use is reduced abruptly. Individuals taking prescribed Ultram should not only be given these medications under appropriate medical supervision, but also should be medically supervised when stopping use in order to reduce or avoid withdrawal symptoms. Symptoms of withdrawal can include restlessness, muscle and bone pain, insomnia, diarrhea, vomiting, cold flashes with goose bumps (“cold turkey”), and involuntary leg movements.

Individuals who become addicted to Ultram can be treated. Options for effectively treating Ultram addiction to prescription opioids are drawn from research on treating heroin addiction.

Prolonged use of these drugs eventually changes the brain in fundamental and long-lasting ways, explaining why people cannot just quit on their own, and why treatment is essential. In effect, drugs of abuse take over the brain's normal pleasure and motivational systems, moving drug use to the highest priority in the individual's motivational hierarchy, thereby overriding all other motivations and drives. These brain changes, then, are responsible for the compulsion to seek and use drugs that we have come to define as addiction. This is likely the state people are in when they are reportedly "doctor shopping," feigning illnesses, and stealing from pharmacies to obtain the drug.

Fortunately, we have a number of effective options to treat Ultram addiction and to help manage the sometime severe withdrawal syndrome that accompanies sudden cessation of drug use. These options are drawn from experience and clinical research regarding the treatment of heroin addiction. They include medications, such as methadone and LAAM (levo-alpha-acetyl-methadol), and behavioral counseling approaches.>>

So, to those naysayers, clearly there is an issue here with this drug, whether you personally have had a problem with it or not. I, for example, am entirely uninterested in alcohol, and yet have gotten addicted to a number of other things. Yet I don't maintain that there is no such thing as alcohol addiction.

frank, i just read your reply and ill do the same. as you can see my grammar means a lot to me and im very sensitive about it so i guess what im saying please dont take my actions persoally and althought i can still see why i was upset i think i made to big a deal out of it

It's fine redbaffl33. I overreacted and forgot what I was trying to say and how to say it without offending. That was my mistake. By the way, I love the Chicago Cubs line and the why cant we leave this blank? My team is the Orioles, which have been in free fall for the last two months. Maybe I could blank them out of my head. Take care.

frank, your team is still doing better than the crappy cubs. i admit i was upset when you guys got sosa and when he was doing good i was really upset but now since hes slumping and missed a lot of games do to being injured you can have him! hahah